For The Best
by PlotBunnyWranglers
Summary: Sometimes secrets aren't meant to be hidden. Maybe it's for the best that they are out in the open.


**A/N: This is a one shot we wrote for the Fandom4LLS compilation this year, and we hope you enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p>It was the day Bella had been dreading for months. Every time her father had mentioned coming up to Seattle for a visit, she conjured up an excuse like a paper she needed to finish for class or that she was busy with work, promising to go to Forks to see him instead. She had none this time; her last semester was over and she was on vacation from work, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd be there within the hour.<p>

Her stomach was in knots as her eyes scanned Edward's bedroom for any trace that she'd ever so much as set foot within it. Knowing her luck, her dad would find that one strand of her hair on his pillow, collect it as evidence, and that would be the end of it. As she was Fabreezing his bed one last time, she jumped with a shriek when Edward came up behind her, his long fingers stroking from her neck to her shoulders and massaging them as he gently kissed her cheek. She hadn't expected him since she sent him to the store.

"Baby, it's been a year. Wouldn't it be easier to just tell him?" Edward asked, wrapping his arms around her. "He's going to find out someday, right?"

"Someday, not today," Bella answered and felt his forehead rest on her shoulder. She turned in his arms to look at him and took his face between her hands. "You know it has nothing to do with you, or how I feel about you, or any of that. I am _so_ happy with you and things are really good with us. But my dad will freak out if he finds out that I am dating the guy I'm sharing an apartment with, even with _you_ being that guy. He'll put two and two together, and the only reason he was okay with this living arrangement in the first place was the fact that we were just friends, and always have been. We're supposed to have separate bedrooms and all that. If he knows there's something else between us—"

Edward's arms slid around her waist as she spoke, tightening his embrace gradually to pull her closer, before cutting her words off with his lips. Her body slowly began to melt against him, temporarily forgetting the stress of her dad's impending visit from a moment before. He opened his eyes to see hers still closed, her head tilted back slightly as a soft sigh escaped her.

"Everything will be fine. If you don't want to tell your dad yet, we won't. But baby, if you don't relax, that's going to give it away faster than a stray sock or out of place earring ever would."

"You're right," she whispered. "If he sees me this stressed out, he'll ask why and I can't lie to save my life."

Edward chuckled, kissing her neck softly. "No, you can't lie. I'm thankful for it, though. If you could, it would've taken longer for us to finally be together."

She smiled at that, rolling her eyes. "You tricked me."

"I wanted to know," he murmured, pulling closer. "Who knows how long it would've taken you to tell me how you felt about me if I hadn't made up that story about the non-existent date." He kissed her scowl. "And you didn't seem to be all that angry about it last night."

Bella pinched his arm at the suggestive tone of his voice, but she couldn't stop the smile tugging at her lips as her fingers rose to his hair. His murmur vibrated against the skin just beneath her ear and his kisses trailed down her neck, causing her to groan in response and tighten her grip on the strands. "Edward, my father is going to be showing up any minute. Now is not the time."

"Just getting you to relax, baby," Edward replied, smirking against her collarbone before lifting his head to peck her lips.

"Getting me worked up is _not_ the same as relaxing me. Complete opposite, as a matter of fact," Bella growled as he began walking toward the kitchen again and narrowed her eyes at him when he glanced back at her with an unabashed smirk. "You don't play fair. Payback will be _so _sweet."

Edward poked his head out of the kitchen, wiggling his eyebrows with a wink. "Looking forward to it."

Bella had to admit that, despite her fears of how things would change if she and Edward took the step toward a relationship, none of it had come to pass. They had an amazing relationship with plenty of love, passion and heat, but underneath it all, they were also still that boy and girl who enjoyed taunting and playful bantering with one another. And to think, she'd almost missed out on it.

_She had been shocked when Edward had come home earlier in the week and announced that he had a date with Heidi Bingham, the one girl on campus with the _worst_ reputation. Surely, he could not have been _that_ desperate for a date that he would lower himself to that level. _

_Yet as days passed and Friday night arrived, with no change of mind from Edward, Bella found herself especially anxious. She sat on the couch, watching him move through the apartment getting ready, under the guise of reading a magazine. He'd already come out to ask her opinion on what he was wearing three times so far, and each time she gave a tense "mm-hmm", which he had clearly taken as a no—he'd changed each time. _

"_Like it really matters what you wear, she'll just be trying to get it off you all night anyway," Bella grumbled under her breath, giving up the pretense of the magazine and folding her arms over her chest, her lips pursed tight and legs crossed. _

"_Okay, I better get going so I'm not late," Edward said, coming out of his room a final time, adjusting the collar of his button-down. She noticed that he had also changed out of his jeans and into a nice pair of dress slacks, obviously putting in an insane amount of effort for this date, and she felt her insides coil. "I probably won't be home 'til late, so don't forget to lock up."_

_Bella's foot bounced in irritation watching as he made his way to the door. It was his life, he was free to do as he pleased, she tried to convince herself, but the moment his keys jingled in his hand, she shot off the couch. Racing over to the door, she snatched them from him and stood blocking his way. "You cannot _possibly_ be serious about this? Of all the girls on campus who would love to go out on a date with you, you pick Heidi? She's had more traffic than 7-11. I mean, what are you thinking, Edward? Are you really that desperate to get laid? Because we all know she's a sure thing."_

_Edward folded his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at her. "Bella, it's one date. I've had all my focus on school for the last few months, and now the semester is over, so I'm just going out to have some fun. Why are you so upset about it?"_

"_I'm not upset," Bella retorted, though her averted gaze, pursed lips and hallowed cheeks spoke otherwise. _

"_So you've been stomping around the apartment for three days, not speaking to me, and I'm pretty sure you tore a page or two of that magazine with the severity of your page flipping, because you're _not_ upset?"_

_Bella felt the rush of warmth flood her face, hugging her arms tightly around her middle, and she could only shake her head in reply. Her eyes shot up to him as he chuckled, watching him as he started tugging off his tie and walking toward the couch. "What are you doing?"_

_Edward sat down, propping his feet up on the coffee table and folding his hands behind his neck. "It feels so good to be right." _

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_You're jealous."_

"_Excuse me?" Bella shrieked with wide eyes, her voice cracking mid-exclamation._

_Edward smirked, crossing his ankles and leaning his head back further. "You want me."_

_Bella's laugh echoed through the room as she shook her head vehemently. "What? Oh my god, ew, just no. Where would you get that crazy idea? Because I don't think you should touch Heidi with a fifty foot pole?"_

"_Say you've never thought about me that way and don't want me, Bella," Edward continued, bringing his eyes to her face again._

_Her face blazed and she even felt a few tears welling up in her eyes. "Of course I haven't. And don't."_

_Edward grins. "I knew it."_

_Bella narrowed her eyes at him; he looked so damned smug. It was probably one of the most humiliating moments of her life, and he looked like the cat who caught the canary. "This isn't funny. Aren't you going to be late?"_

"_Just admit that you're jealous, Bella. There's nothing wrong with it."_

_Bella's fists clenched, her body trembling. "Fine. I'm fucking jealous. Are you happy now? I don't see what difference it makes. Just go off and have a _wonderful_ time with what's-her-face."_

_As Bella attempted to storm past him, Edward caught her hand and gave her a gentle tug, pulling her onto his lap. "All this wasted time."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" _

"_There is no date, Bella."_

_His whispered response froze her for a moment, and she gazed at him in confusion. There was no date. He never had any intention of going anywhere that night. Oh the little shit! She thought as the realization of what had just happened hit her. "You tricked me. That's not fair. Why would you do that?"_

"_Because I love you."_

Extremely sneaky and unfair, but even she had to admit when she started talking to him again a couple days later, it really had been the only way he would have been able to break through the wall she had built around herself when it came to him. The thought of losing him was terrifying in itself, but the fear of his rejection if he didn't feel the same only made it worse. And she would have lost out on something absolutely amazing, even when he was being a bit obnoxious.

A knock came to the door just then, halting Bella's breath momentarily. _I can do this_, she thought as she smoothed her hands over her hair and checked her appearance in the hall mirror. Her eyes moved to Edward, still standing by the kitchen and wiggling his eyebrows at her tauntingly.

"I'll cut you off," Bella mouthed at him, making a scissors motion with her fingers on the way out the door.

"No you won't," he replied with only the movement of his lips and his grin staying in place, just as smug.

_Cocky ass_, she silently cursed, but only because she knew exactly how right he was. They weren't out of control sex fiends, who had to have it every hour of every day or anything, but they _did_ have a very healthy sex life. It was one thing that hadn't changed at all from the beginning of their relationship—and it was one thing that she prayed never would.

Bella drew in a deep breath to collect herself after her thoughts moments before, and finally opened the door. "Hi, Dad."

"Hello, stranger. Long time no see," Charlie teased and stepped inside to engulf his daughter in a tight hug. "I've missed ya, Bells."

"I've missed you, too, Dad." Bella kept her arms wrapped securely around her dad's waist and pressed her cheek to his chest. She really had missed him. After her mom died when she was eight, it had just been her and her father for a decade. She'd never as much as taken more than a daylong field trip away from home, until the time came for her to start thinking about college. Options were limited to her in Forks, and she knew that, but even then, she'd refused to leave the state of Washington. Yet, as much as she'd missed him, she was nervous about how he would react to her and Edward, as a _couple_ rather than just friends.

"It's nice to see you, Chief Swan," Edward said politely from beside them as he closed the apartment door.

Charlie held one hand out for him to shake while keeping his other arm around Bella. "Same here, Edward. Are you taking good care of my girl, here?"

"Yes, sir," Edward replied, and when Bella glanced over to him, she noticed something different in his demeanor. For all his talk about staying relaxed, he seemed to be the one actually sweating under the collar a bit.

"The place looks good," Charlie said suddenly and Bella pulled back to look at him, and then her eyes moved around the apartment. "Finally got those curtains and blinds put in, I see."

Bella looped her arm through his and led him toward the living room to settle on the couch. "Yeah, I figured it was time. The apartment across the way can see right into ours. More privacy, I guess."

Edward's movement into the kitchen again caught her attention for a moment, and she bit her lip in an attempt not to laugh. She really didn't think she could come up with a rational reason as to why, when her father asked what was funny, and she definitely couldn't explain it with the truth.

They were for privacy, all right; after Edward had spotted the guy across the way staring out his window at them while Bella was straddled across his lap one night rather than watching the movie. The fact that they were fully clothed made no difference. Edward didn't like another man staring at "his girl", _that_ way. The blinds and curtains were installed and hung before Bella got home at noon the next day. It was hard for her not to laugh, but somehow she managed.

Edward, on the other hand, barely masked his growl. Tyler, their neighbor, had been overly friendly to her since then, always stopping her if he saw her at one of the nearby restaurants or coffee shops.

"Edward put them up?" Charlie asked, watching the young man's shoulders and back tense as he returned from the kitchen with the platter of cocktail shrimp. Bella kept a smile on her face and only nodded in reply. There was no use in her trying to say something, because she could end up blurting out the truth. "Well, I guess I brought my toolbox for nothing," he added with a grumble.

"Would you like a drink, Chief?" Edward asked, keeping his eyes lowered. "Ba-Bella?"

"Some iced tea would be great," Bella said, biting her lip. It was very apparent that certain habits would be hard to break during her father's stay. Edward had started calling her "baby" or "babe" shortly after their relationship changed, and now, it was a rare occasion that they would use one another's names in casual conversation.

"That sounds good to me," Charlie answered over his daughter's head and Edward quickly retreated. "What's up with him?" he asked in a whisper. "He seems tense."

"Work stuff, I think," she lied and hoped her father wouldn't notice her breaking out in a sweat. When Edward joined them, with cool glasses of iced tea on a tray, his smile was genuine.

"I was asked to train a few new employees last week, and one of them is completely incompetent and happens to be the boss's son."

Charlie shook head. "That is the worst, had to deal with the Mayor's son. He was better suited for police duty behind a desk than on the streets. Too lazy for his own good."

Bella sighed a breath of relief as Edward and her father continued to talk as they usually did. It hadn't been easy to convince her father to allow her to move in an apartment on her own. It was Esme, Edward's lovely mother, who had suggested that their kids move in together. He didn't agree with her initially, despite the fact they'd been friends since they were eight, when his family moved in next door.

It was during a visit to the co-ed dorms that convinced her father that moving in with her closest friend would be best. A young male co-ed dressed in a towel in the hallway during their visit might have been the driving force behind that decision. Bella tried not to laugh at the memory of her father's horrified face.

Her trip down memory lane ended as Edward turned on the game they were discussing. She barely suppressed a groan; already their conversation had turned to sports.

"I'm going to check on dinner," she said, kissing her father's cheek before rising to her feet. He only grunted in response, too absorbed and focused on the game.

Edward offered a wink, and mouthed, "Where's mine?"

To which she secretly flipped him off under the guise of scratching her neck. "Call if you need a refill," she said over her shoulder. They both grunted that time in response. Men, she thought, rolling her eyes.

The second she stepped away, she heard her father ask Edward, "She all right?"

Of course, her father would try to pump Edward for information as soon as he thought she wasn't listening. She wasn't mad; she knew her dad worried about her. She was well known for keeping things to herself, not wanting to burden others with her problems. There wasn't any at the moment, only that she was keeping a secret from her father.

And that was _definitely _one she wanted to keep to herself for just a little bit longer.

As she was setting the plates on the table, she couldn't help but laugh at the vision in front of her, while it simultaneously tugged at her heart strings. It was a sight she had become accustomed to in high school and had missed since moving away for college. The two most important men in her life, both diehard Mariner's fans, sat side by side on the couch, watching the screen intently without making a sound. She watched the wind up of the pitcher and began mouthing her count down.

"Three… two… one…."

"No!"

"Oh come on! Are you _blind_?!"

Bella laughed and shook her head, walking back into the kitchen. That was a prime example of what made her so nervous about telling her father about the change in their relationship. Edward was like the son that he never had, and she didn't want to take that away from either of them. She was never much one for sports on television or fishing, while Edward was, but did not have a close relationship with his own father.

"Hell, yes! Yes yes yes!"

"Now, _that's _what I'm talking about!"

_Nope, not going to sever that bond just yet_, Bella thought to herself, feeling a pang in her heart as she listened to them. Someday, she would _need_ to tell her father, and a large part of her _really_ wanted to. She hated hiding her relationship with Edward like it was some dark dirty secret and thought there was even a good possibility that her dad would eventually be very happy for both of them. Once he got over the disturbing notion that his little girl was very likely having sex with the boy he'd watched grow into a man, of course.

But then there was that little, persistent bitch of a voice inside her that hampered that down, flashing images in her head of her father hauling ass to Seattle, packing up her stuff, and dragging her back to Forks before she could even blink. Occasionally, a padlock on her door and a chastity belt came to mind as well. Extreme? Sure, but she _was_ her dad's only child, and his "precious baby girl", so the voice was effective enough to convince her to give it a little more time.

Yet, she knew she couldn't put it off much longer. Edward had only agreed to keep a secret for as long as they had, because she requested it. Before their last visit home around Christmas, they had an argument that sent them both to bed in different rooms. He wanted to tell his family about their relationship and she refused. She stated that her father was not ready to hear that kind of news and neither were they; it had only been a matter of months by then.

The morning after, as they quietly tiptoed around each other, his unexpected question shocked her. She'd never forget the look in his eyes or the sound of his quiet words. "Are you ashamed of me?"

The question had paralyzed her that she remained speechless for too long, and Edward turned to leave. His heartbroken expression woke her up and she grabbed him before he could go, taking hold of his face and telling him firmly that she loved him. After a long talk that morning, they both realized that, though they were on the same page about how they felt for each other, their parents would likely have the same concerns that they had for years. They meant so much to each other; how well would they cope if it ended badly?

Since then, they had taken their relationship one day at a time, and let things flow naturally. Edward's brother knew, but had sworn to them both that he would respect their decision and privacy, and kept his mouth shut. His mother was highly suspect, and Carlisle was oblivious, since he wasn't really around enough to notice much. And if her father had noticed anything, surely he would have said something, right?

However, she could no longer deny that their relationship was progressing, as it should. She had just finished her degree, and Edward had gotten into medical school and would be starting in the fall. He had already mentioned moving into a home, even if it would be a rental to start, but she was positive he wanted more than to play house. He wanted it all, and so did she. She resolved as she listened to her two favorite guys in the world that she'd tell her father during her next visit home.

She only hoped that if she did it alone, Charlie wouldn't go after Edward. If he did, she could always warn Edward to get out of town fast.

Their "boos" startled her out of her wayward thoughts. She sighed and returned her attention on the food. She pulled out her cell phone and sent Edward a quick text.

**~oOo~**

Edward threw his small plush baseball at the screen as the ref made a bad call. "That was not a strike! Not even _close_ to the zone!"

Charlie grunted in agreement. The man was quiet and always had been, but Edward noticed that this was so much more than his usual demeanor. His eyes kept shifting around the room as if the furniture and the walls themselves would divulge all their secrets. Bella was right. The man was already suspicious. It didn't have to mean it was a bad thing. He might only want confirmation since Bella wasn't the most communicative person.

Not that he was, either. That was trait he learned from his father and before he made the first move, Bella had been, too. He was thankful he'd taken the initiative to go after what he wanted for years. Tired of fighting it, worried that someone would finally catch her eye, he had to know she felt even an inkling of what he did her. It worked rather beautifully, other than the silent treatment she'd given him for days afterward.

Personally, Edward thought he had nothing to worry about since Charlie trusted him implicitly. The day of their big move to the city, the man in question pulled him aside as everyone packed away their things on the moving truck to talk privately. The serious expression on his face indicated that Edward had to listen carefully. Charlie hadn't only asked him to take care of his daughter, but to make sure she was happy. A request Edward took to the heart and tried hard to follow since then.

"I'm surprised that you're both on vacation and not heading anywhere." Charlie said the words with the same tone he used throughout the game.

"My vacation only started yesterday, sir," Edward said, shrugging. "We were talking about it, but we're both exhausted from school and work and thought a lazy vacation would be best."

Charlie raised his drink to clink against Edward's and nodded. "Good for you. Those can be the best kind."

Edward grinned. "Yeah, and you know Bella, she's not into spending money on frivolous things."

"What are your plans then?"

"Mega movie marathon and probably take advantage of all the takeout menus in the kitchen drawer."

The small smile on Charlie's face fell immediately, his eyes marginally narrowing. "That sounds _cozy_."

The implications were there in his words, in his dark gaze and the twitch of his mustache. _Quick Edward, say something. _

"I guess, but I don't plan to shower all week." Edward laughed somewhat uncomfortably and stood up to grab a few dvd's from the shelf nearby. "We plan to do a Lord of the Rings marathon, a Bruce Willis one, and of course, Liam Neeson." _And naturally, throw in a few classics that make Bella swoon to keep her happy._

Charlie nodded, his previous look gone. Edward tried not to sharply blow out a relieved breath. Grabbing one of the dvd's from his hand, Charlie turned it over to read. "This looks good."

Edward told him it was and returned them back onto the shelf, taking a seat again. "Want a beer?"

"Nah," Charlie said, waving his hand dismissively. "Need to drive back in a couple of hours."

"Right."

After that, the few minutes of tension disappeared. They sat back and enjoyed the snacks and drinks Bella brought out for them. Twice Edward had to ask her to take a break and join them.

"Sit down and I'll grab myself beer and Charlie's soda." It was hard to keep from calling her "babe" as per usual. "You want anything."

"A Pepsi, please, besides dinner is almost ready."

She smiled at him one last time and finally plopped down on the couch after he vacated the spot. Edward shook his head as he walked into the kitchen and opened the oven for a quick sniff of dinner. His stomach grumbled with hunger, despite the snacks they'd been munching on for the last hour. He checked his phone, having ignored it earlier, since Charlie and the game needed his undivided attention.

A text from Bella had come in a while ago. Curious, he opened it to find a picture of her blowing a kiss to him. Damn, the woman had a sexy mouth. His finger lingered on her beautiful face and he couldn't help the smile. The "I love you" at the bottom made him feel a hundred times better.

He typed out a quick message and snapped a picture to send to her. They had to tell their families soon, because he already had plans to put a ring on that girl's finger one day in the near future.

**~oOo~**

"I swear your cooking gets better and better," Charlie stated, polishing off his second plate. The game was playing in the background, often catching their attention throughout dinner. Bella didn't mind; it kept them talking, at least.

"Thanks, Dad."

"It is getting better, which is why I suggested she take a break after this," Edward said, offering her a grin when she scowled at him. "If it wasn't for her, we'd be living off ramen noodles, hot pockets, and my chili."

"Don't I know it," Bella teased, rubbing her stomach as if the very idea made her ill. "And that first month, it was _just _like that." They'd gotten scholarships, but it didn't cover all their costs. It wasn't until their job hunting paid off that things got easier.

"You've done great." Her father sat back, looking at them both. It made her marginally nervous, but he only smiled as if he was happy with whatever he saw. "The both of you and now you got your whole life ahead of you." They shared a look, smiling. "I want you to know I'm proud of you both."

Bella blushed under her father's gaze and Edward said a soft thank you that broke her heart a little. His father wasn't an evil man or anything, just busy. He worked hard to put himself through school and med school while helping his mother and siblings after his father died. That work ethic remained after he met his wife Esme and had his own family. It wasn't often that Carlisle made the time to sit and talk with his son like Charlie did.

Edward promised Bella that he would always find time to be with her, and she wasn't too worried. Even only as friends, he made time for her. They'd been around each other when time was limited due to classes, studying, homework, and work. Edward had always texted her after she had a test or a long night of studying to cheer her up. He often found notes in lunches she packed him or dropped off.

They'd find a way to make time, together.

"I have a second interview with Pennington Publishing," Bella said proudly. She had to start at the bottom and earn a title, which meant hard work. She would be happy if she got it. There she'd make forty percent more money than the diner where she'd worked for the last four years, and it was a growing company.

"Wow, that's great," Charlie beamed.

Unable to help himself, Edward slid his arm around Bella's shoulder and hugged her to his side. "That's our Bella, she's going places." As if he suddenly realized what he'd done, he awkwardly drew his arm away and patted her back.

Bella was thankful that her dad did not seem to notice, because Edward was a terrible actor, too. He always used to show that kind of affection before as friends. For him suddenly to move away as if she burned him, he'd never done, and her dad would notice that.

She offered Edward a glare and rose from the table. "Edward has some good news, too." She started collecting some of the dinner plates to take to the kitchen.

Edward jumped to his feet to help Bella, needing a moment to escape. "Yeah, I'll be starting a work from home position for a computer company as a tech guy. Guess being a computer nerd in high school is paying off."

At least he hoped so. He'd worked in the position before when they needed a little more cash flow. The work was tedious and boring, though, which was why he refused to do it full time.

"That would certainly be easier than working long hours around here while you're in med school."

"That's the idea," he said, following Bella into the kitchen. Once he loaded the sink with water and dish soap, he groaned, "Looks like my acting chops aren't much better."

Bella cocked an eyebrow as she pulled something from the oven. "You think?" She had a fluffy bit of bubbles on her neck. He lifted his hand to brush it away, but dropped it quickly when he heard footsteps.

"Be right back," Charlie said, popping his head in the kitchen. "Bathroom is the first door on the left, right?"

Bella nodded and smiled, a little too happily. Edward nudged her shin with his shoe. The grin slowly dropped from its Cheshire Cat status to a Colgate commercial. Charlie gave them both one long look before heading down the hall.

They both exhaled sharply and started to laugh. "This is too hard," Bella whispered, shaking her head.

"I told you."

They started on the dishes together, a pastime they often shared together since beginning. It gave them time to reflect on things and talk.

"I'm proud of you, too, you know," Edward said, looking of his shoulder and popping a kiss on Bella's temple.

She sighed softly, lifting her hand up long enough to graze his scruffy jaw. "I know. Same here, I—" Before she had a chance to finish her father whistled down the hall and back into the living room.

"It that brownies I smell?"

Bella giggled and rolled her eyes. "They just came out of the oven, Dad." She returned her attention to Edward. "We'll talk after this."

Warily, he asked, "Do you think I'll like this talk?"

"I do."

His smile was a mile wide.

**~oOo~**

"Thanks for these, Bells," Charlie said as Bella walked him to the door, holding up the container of brownies for him to take along. "Sue's really great in the kitchen, until it comes to baking."

It was still a little strange to hear her dad talk about his girlfriend of three years after all the time he spent alone after her mom passed. Yet, she couldn't deny that she was glad to see her father happy, and that maybe her moving out was the push he needed to move on with his own life. "No problem. Tell Sue I said hi."

"Don't be such a stranger, okay? We really do miss you." Charlie gave Bella a hug at the door, glancing behind her at Edward. "Keep taking good care of my girl, huh."

"I will, sir," Edward replied with a nod, waiting until he released his daughter before reaching out to shake his hand.

The moment Charlie was out the door, Bella closed it and leaned back against it as she turned the lock. She heard her father whistling down the hall as he made his way down it, and finally exhaled a long exaggerated breath, turning her eyes to Edward. "It was so not worth all that stress."

He smirked and folded his arms over his chest triumphantly. "Let me hear you say it."

Bella gave a small snarl, wrinkling her nose at him. "You were right, Edward. We should have just told him."

"And why is that?" he asked with a dark chuckle, taking a step toward her.

Bella reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him to her sharply. "All night of not touching you at all, is about to have some explosive consequences, for starters."

Edward groaned against her lips as she captured his in a heated kiss, gripping her arms around him tightly. Her body glided along his with a euphoric pressure, and his hands grasped her hips firmly. "Baby, your father isn't even out of the parking lot yet."

"He's gonna know pretty soon anyway," she whispered, kissing along his jaw to his neck.

He pulled back slightly to look at her, and through the haze of desire clouding her eyes, he also saw something different. No fear, no nervousness, only determination. "Really?"

"Yes, Edward. Really. I want everyone to know how much I love you."

Edward weaved one hand into her hair and kissed her firmly, while the other arm clung tightly around her waist to hold her against him. "God, I fucking love you."

Bella brought her hands to his chest, guiding him backward until his body met the wall, pinning him against it with hers. Her fingers dragged down to the hem of his t-shirt, slipping underneath to pop the button of his jeans. "I really think we need to turn in early tonight, don't you?"

"It's been a _very_ long day," Edward groaned with a nod, closing his eyes as her finger traced down along the outline of his hardened length through the denim. He reached over to the light switch to flip it off, and then brought his hands to her waist, sliding beneath her shirt to glide them up her body.

Together, they began traversing down the hall, leaving a trail of clothing along the way to the bedroom. As he fell back onto the bed, she crawled up his body and arched her back when his hands cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples between his thumb and index finger. She hissed through her teeth in pleasure, rocking her hips over him, before taking his hands and raising them over his head.

"Damn, baby," Edward breathed out as she brushed kisses on his chin, raising her body enough to take him inside her.

"I need you. Foreplay another time," she whispered, sealing her lips over his and releasing his hands to take his face between hers. Her moan reverberated against him as he began thrusting into her, jolting her body with each movement. His hands spread over her backside to guide her. Her sounds increased. A sign of how close she was already. She was beautiful as she pulled back, and long dark hair fell around her shoulders and breasts. Her fingers left small crescent shaped marks on his chest, as she ground against him. For every one of his thrusts up into her, she moaned his name.

Two of her fingers walked up his chest, coming to rest on his lips. He watched her as he sucked them inside his mouth, her eyes widening at the elicit touch. She bent down long enough to kiss him and slipped her wet fingers from his mouth. He grunted when he felt them slide down his abs to where their bodies met. His eyes rolled and he renewed his thrusts to give her what she needed.

Bella's hips continued to roll over his, and she loved the look of pure rapture on his face. It was almost as if he couldn't decide where to look. Her face, her breasts, or the way her body took him deep inside her. Suddenly, he sat up, changing the angle as his lips circled one of her sensitive peaks. His hands still on her backside, slid to her hips, still guiding her, only harder, faster. Her arms draped over his shoulders, their eyes meeting as he laved attention to her other nipple. She pulled him away with a gentle tug on his hair and their mouths met as their bodies continued to move.

Her forehead rested on his shoulder as her body shook, finally letting go with his name on her lips. She felt Edward's hands tightening on her, the rhythm of his thrusts erratic until he cursed and stilled beneath her. He fell back onto the mattress, taking her with him.

"We've gotten much better at that," Bella said several minutes later, once her heart rate slowed.

"I agree, though to be sure, we should try again later." She laughed and told him she whole-heartedly agreed.

**~oOo~**

Three days later, Bella was just coming out of the shower and towel drying her hair, preparing to have some lunch while curling up with Edward on the couch. They had both been soaking up the time together on their vacation—long evenings of movie marathons carrying over into late nights of making love and snuggling, sleeping until noon and starting it all over again. And that day's marathon was one she had been particularly looking forward to; all day of watching Liam Neeson.

Her eyebrow arched when she reached the living room, spotting brown takeout bags on the coffee table. "Oh, you are such a cheater! I actually slaved over a hot stove to make our lunch yesterday."

Edward called out from the kitchen as he rummaged in the fridge. "It was grilled cheese sandwiches, baby."

"It still required more effort than dialing a phone number," Bella retorted, folding her arms over her chest as he joined her, armed with drinks.

"I also had to go searching for my wallet, which found its way under the bed somehow. _And_ walk to the door, _and_ pay for it and carry it all the way over here to the table." He gave her a smartass smirk, for which she swatted his hip for on her way to the kitchen for some napkins and utensils, but he caught her arm and pulled her back to him. "I got you General Tso's."

Bella growled as her stomach did the same; he definitely knew how to appeal to her weaknesses. "Fine, but I get to choose the first movie since you had yesterday."

"Bella, we _both_ wanted to watch Lord of the Rings, and you can't watch them in any other way _but_ in order."

"Why do you always win?" She rolled her eyes and pointed at their collection of movies. "_Taken_ should be first then, since we have to watch them in order, too."

"Yes, dear," he said with a snicker, walking over to the shelves. She returned to the living room and started to unpack food as Edward looked for the movie.

"Huh."

She looked up, an eggroll poised at her lips. He waggled his eyebrows, so she took a bite making him wince. She laughed at where his mind had gone and asked, "What's wrong?"

He scratched his head and shrugged. "I can't find it."

"Hey, now, I agreed to your choice yesterday. You don't have to pretend to lose a dvd. You're so protective of your collection, you have people take a picture of them with your movie and threaten to charge rental fees if it's not returned in a week."

"What? I spend a lot of money on them!" He chuckled and returned his attention back to the shelf. "Well, it's not here."

"When was the last time you saw it?"

"The night your dad came to dinner, even asked about it."

"Maybe he borrowed it. His damn jacket pocket is big enough to hold it."

Edward sat down and grabbed a box of takeout, eyeballing Bella's fork and laughing. She slapped his shoulder as he deftly handled a pair of chopsticks and showing off. "Wouldn't he have asked?"

"I'll just ask him. He doesn't know quite how anal you are about your movies."

"Shut up, or we're watching something gory." She shuddered and threated to ban sex if he even considered it.

Bella called up her dad after settling on _Non-Stop _to watch since the other movie was missing. "He's not answering," she said after leaving a voicemail as Edward returned from the kitchen with extra packets of soy sauce.

"Maybe your dad and Sue are—"

"Edward Cullen, you finish that sentence and I'll stop doing that thing with my tongue!"

Edward grinned. "I merely was going to say, that maybe they're having a late lunch and decided to turn off their phones." He pinched her side and chuckled. "Get your mind of your gutter."

She cringed. "There are just some things I don't want to think about when it comes to them."

"What did you tell him?"

Bella snuggled up against his side, grabbing the remote. "That we couldn't find one of our movies and that the last time we saw it, he was here."

He groaned. "Bella! That sounds accusing."

"Well, what else was I supposed to say?" She giggled as he grumbled.

"I don't know. How about 'Hey Dad, Edward and I are looking for this particular dvd, and I know you were looking at it while you were here. Do you happen to remember where you set it down?' Instead of making him sound like a suspect," Edward countered, draping his arm around her shoulders while bringing a piece of teriyaki beef to his mouth.

Bella cast him a look out of the corner of her eyes, muttering a 'shut up' while simultaneously fighting back a smile and pressing play on the remote.

By the time Non-Stop finished, empty Chinese food containers lay strewn across the coffee table, and Edward groaned when he returned to the living room with refills on their drinks to find Bella putting in Love Actually.

"A romantic comedy once in a while won't kill you, Edward. It can't always be about the guns and action and adrenaline," Bella responded, deepening her voice as she spoke and making shooting motions with her hands.

"You _love_ the guns, action _and_ adrenaline," he replied as he plopped down onto the couch beside her.

"I was raised by my dad," she quipped and took a sip from her drink. "But every once and a while, a woman like me wants to sigh and swoon."

"Fine." Edward had to work to keep the smile off his face. Did he know his girlfriend or what? He saw that very outcome only days earlier; besides, the last time he gave in and watched one of her girly movies, they ended up making out and one thing led to another. They didn't even make it off the couch, and he had no problem with that at all.

"Thank you," she said, settling to his side.

"The things I do for you."

"Watch it or the _Bridges of Madison County _will be the first Clint Eastwood movie tomorrow."

"That was uncalled for," he mockingly argued, poking her sides to make her laugh. They gave the movie their undivided attention as she curled further against him with her head on his chest. They'd only made it halfway through when they heard someone at their door.

"Bella, it's Dad."

Their eyes widened in disbelief at the voice coming from the hall. "What is he doing here?" she hissed, trying to get up from the couch.

"Baby, he has a key."

They heard the door open and watched as Charlie stepped into the apartment. His gaze settled on them for a moment too long, then slid over to the big screen and his eyebrows shot up. To him, a man didn't watch a romantic comedy with just anyone, not even their best friend.

He grunted, saying nothing else, and walked down the hall. Edward and Bella shared a look as they rose from the couch at the same time. Was he in the city and had to stop for a bathroom break or something?

"Dad?"

Another grunt, instead of turning left to the bathroom, he went right. That was Bella's room. "Why did he stop by to go into my room?"

"Oh fuck," Edward groaned as he checked the wall clock, having put it together. "I should probably run."

"Why?"

Charlie appeared, waving a certain movie around. His face was a shade of red that she rarely ever seen. "You mean _this _dvd? The one you _just _noticed was missing that I put under your pillow three days ago, Bells."

"Oh my god." She felt her face burst into flames as Edward moved to stand behind her.

"You would've found this movie if you were sleeping in your own bed." Bella wanted a hole to appear so she can fall inside and disappear. "I knew something was going on between you two."

Suddenly, Edward's hand slid around her waist, his voice firm as he replied to her father. "I love her, sir."

She closed her eyes and did her best to calm down her racing heart. She opened her eyes, finding the murderous glare on her father's face not as intimidating. With Edward's support, she knew that eventually her father would see reason.

"And I love him, Dad," she whispered, holding a steady hand over her heart. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. We didn't know how you could take it."

Edward was terrified. His instinct was to run like the damn wind, but his heart told him he should stay with Bella. Charlie blustered, even huffed a few ragged breaths before his shoulders relaxed and the color started to ease from his face.

"Well, it's about damn time," he muttered, lifting his cell phone to his ear. "Carlisle, you owe me fifty bucks. The kids finally admitted it. Yep, tell Esme she can call them later."

Edward and Bella's mouths were on the floor. "You bet on us?!" Bella growled.

"You knew?" Edward asked at the same time.

Charlie shrugged and sat on the recliner. "Figured it would happen sooner or later, though I thought it would've been years ago."

"I can't believe this." Bella sat on the couch, shaking her head.

"What gave us away?"

"Boy, you asked me for her hand in marriage when you were ten years old."

Edward chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I thought you forgot about that."

"And I hate to say it, but your lights going out before I'd even gotten into my car? That was fairly obvious, you two. No one goes to bed that soon after a guest leaves. Not to mention, wearing your boyfriend's clothes is also pretty telling, Bells," Charlie added, pointing to Bella's attire, and indeed, she was wearing her favorite t-shirt of Edward's and a pair of his shorts rolled up at the waist to keep them from sliding down. There was no way she could even _try_ to pass either of them off as hers. With a triumphant grin, he sat back and tossed the movie to Edward. "Now that I'm here, let's watch it. I've been waiting for days to. Sue knows I'll probably be late tonight, but no funny business over there. I might be okay with this development, but that's still my little girl, son."

Unable to help herself, she launched herself to her father and kissed his scruffy cheek. "Thanks, Daddy."

Edward watched his Bella and her father share a sweet moment, the old man blushing under her attention. He hoped one day, his daughter would look at him with the same adoration.

"I'm gonna go make some popcorn. Be right back, don't start without me," Bella told both men, hurrying off to the kitchen.

As soon as she disappeared from the doorway, Edward would need to make something clear to Charlie. "How about we go out for coffee later, sir?"

Charlie's eyes turned to him, a knowing look within them. "That's a very good idea."


End file.
